Jayron and Krystal Oneshots
by Matthais Unidostres
Summary: Enjoy fun, cute, and happy oneshots featuring the treasure hunter/explorer/dowsing machine expert/writer/reporter Jayron and his dear Absol friend Krystal.
1. 20 Questions

**20 Questions**

 _"Alright. I've always kinda wanted to do this,"_ Krystal said telepathically as she reclined on the wooden bench next to me.

I relaxed on the bench, smiling at my dearest friend, as we sat with the majestic falls of Couriway Town before us.

"Alright, Krystal," I said, "You ready to go up against the reigning champion?"

The Absol chuckled and eyed me with a blithe expression and said, _"You're only the champion because I never got to have a turn. . ."_ Krystal then smiled in mock malevolence, _"Until now. . ."_

"That doesn't change the fact that I always figured out what you were thinking of! Every time!" I boasted.

Krystal huffed and licked her lips, _"Well, I haven't been around as much as you have, Jayron."_

"Aw, come on! An amazing wild Pokemon like you has to have traveled far and wide!" I said.

Unable to keep up her indignant act, a slow smile began to grow on her face. _"Maaaaybe. . ."_ she said cutely.

I looked into my friend's gorgeous ruby-like eyes, which were shining extra brightly today. At that moment, I knew exactly what to chose. So, I leaned back in the bench and said to her, "Okay then, Krystal. Start asking."

 _"Is it a food?"_ she asked.

"No," I replied.

 _"Is it an item?"_

"No."

 _"Is it powered by electricity?"_

"No."

 _"Do humans make it?"_

I couldn't help but laugh and shake my head. "Krystal, you're _way_ off!"

Krystal pouted and turned away, her tail wagging back and forth slowly like a thin, sharp pendulum. Then her tail froze as she turned to me with a look of satisfied realization on her face.

 _"Is it alive?"_ she asked eagerly.

"Yes," I replied.

 _"Is it a Pokemon?"_ she asked with a grin.

"Yes."

 _"How big is it!? I mean, can it fit in your bag?"_

"No."

Krystal tapped her chin with a foreclaw in thought. Then she asked, _"Can it fly?"_

"No."

 _"Is it a Legendary?"_

"No."

 _"Is it bigger than a human adult?"_

"No."

 _"Does it have claws?"_

"Oh yeah," I said, breaking into a big grin.

Krystal saw this, and her eyes lit up as she sensed my excitement. She got up from her reclining position and stood up so that she was at eye level with me.

 _"Does it have a tail?"_ she asked.

"Yes," I said with a few nods of my head.

 _"Is it a Dragon-Type?"_

"No," I said with a shake of my head.

Krystal's smiled slipped a bit, but then she hitched it back on and asked me, "Is _it a Fire-Type?"_

"No."

Krystal blinked as her smile fell. She looked a bit confused. I'll bet she had been thinking of either a Charmander or a Charmeleon, and was sure one of them had been the answer, but know she looked really stumped, and she only had 6 questions left.

"Give up?" I asked playfully.

Krystal stared levelly at me with a face that screamed deadpan and said, _"I will pretend I didn't hear that."_

I shrugged and simply replied, "Well?"

Krystal licked her lips a few times, and she tossed her head from left to right as she thought hard. After about a minute or two, she turned to me and asked, _"Is it a Bug-type?"_

"No."

 _"Is it colorful?"_ Krystal asked with a sudden swing of her tail, showing that she had asked the question in desperation.

"No," I said with a shrug.

Krystal blinked and stared at me for a moment, as if surprised by my answer. Then she asked, _"Does. . . it have fur?"_

"Yes."

 _"Does it. . . live in a forest?"_

"Yes."

 _"Is it. . . white?"_

"Yeah," I said in a voice just above a whisper as I gazed at her.

Krystal looked around awkwardly a bit, then a blush appeared on her face as she timidly asked, _"Is it. . . is it me?"_

I reached over began gently scratching the left side of her head, right behind the tuft of fur all Absol's have. She smiled and sighed contentedly as I said, "That's right, Krystal. It's you. My best friend in the whole world."

I stopped scratching her and reached into my bag. "And since you won, I think you deserve a prize."

I took out a deluxe sweet Pokepuff, which caused her to practically popup onto her haunches as she panted and silently begged for it through body language.

I felt quite giddy myself as I saw her beam at me with her ruby ringed eyes. I held out the Pokepuff to her, and she quickly gripped it with her forepaws and ate it up in three bites. As odd as it may sound, I just sat there and watched Krystal chew and swallow the treat. She licked her lips, and then began meticulously licking her forepaws clean, which she then uses to wipe her face.

She looked at me and said, _"I guess there's a new champion in town, now."_

I shook my finger at her and said, "Ah-ah-ah! Remember, I haven't ever lost! And I've won way more times that you have!"

Krystal leaned in close so that her face was about two inches from mine, and she said, _"I'll stump you next time!"_

"You know, Krystal, I think I might have answered wrong for one of those questions," I said suddenly, maintaining the distance between out faces.

 _"Huh?"_ Krystal asked, cocking her head but not moving away from me yet.

I gently took Krystal's face in my hands and said, "You kinda _are_ colorful. Not many Pokemon have rubies for eyes. . ."

Krystal smiled sardonically and said, _"I really should lick your face for that."_

The two of us broke apart and started laughing hysterically, lying with our backs on the bench as we faced the majestic falls of Couriway Town before us.


	2. She Could Not Stop For Death

**She Could Not Stop for Death**

Krystal and I walked out of the Pokemon Center, and we turned the corner just in time to nearly bump into a fisherman. The man yet out a scream and stumbled back a bit, his eyes wide and surprised.

I was nearly surprised as he was. What was with his wild reaction?

"You okay, sir?" I asked as Krystal stared at him with a tilted head.

The fisherman caught his breath, putting his hand on his chest. "Woo. . . Sorry, I . . . I just don't really like Absols. The whole Grim Reaper scythe thing. . ." The man chuckled a bit, wilting slightly under my deadpanned gaze. "Heh-heh. Well, gotta go!"

We watched the man run into the Pokemon Center, and I gave a sigh. "Why are people so prejudiced against Absols?"

Krystal tapped my leg with a forepaw and said, _"Never mind him, let's go. It's a beautiful day out here."_

Krystal, or rather, Krystal's hyper sensitive horn was right. The sky was clear, with the bright warm Sun shinning down on Santalune City. The colorful flowers and the nice looking Roselia fountain could put anyone in a good mood. We walked away from the Pokemon Center and up the path towards Route 22. As we walked along the road, Krystal suddenly said thoughtfully, _"You know, you can't really blame that man for his reaction. My horn does look like Death's scythe."_

I laughed at this and petted her head, "Aw, you wouldn't kill a fly!"

Krystal looked up at me, and she said, _"An Absol, by nature, and sometimes experience, has got to know a few things about death."_

That made me curious, and I reasoned that Krystal might have a point. As all Absols could foresee natural disasters, it would be more than likely that they'd probably see the death those disasters can bring.

I started to wonder if I was wondering into some uncomfortable territory for her, but my curiosity had been awakened, and an explorer's/treasure hunter's/writer's/reporter's curiosity cannot be be ignored. So, I gave her a questioning look and asked gently, "What do you know?" I figured that in the "worst" case scenario, Krystal would just tell me that she didn't want to talk about it and we could move on to something else.

I did not expect Krystal to give me such an impish look. It was surprising to me, to say the least, as if I had just seen another side to her. She took a few steps backwards from my touch, and then began to moan pitifully. _"Oooh. It hurts. It hurts so much. I can't see!"_ she said as she began to stumble around, her legs shaking as if unable to support her weight. Eventually her left legs appeared to give out, and she fell on her left side. She gave a loud, labored breath, her eyes wide as she rolled onto back. _"Jayron. . . I - I'm scared!"_ She brought her limbs in close to her body and rolled onto her right side and was still.

As I stared at her, I was unsure whether to applaud or run to her side. I blinked at her prone form, then said, "Very nice performance, Krystal. You can get up now."

Krystal didn't move or respond to me, so I sighed and walked over to her. I bent down and rubbed the tuft of fur on the side of her head.

"Come on, Krystal. Let's go," I said.

I looked at her impatiently when she didn't move, and I poked her cheek a few times as I said, "Krystal, I know you're alive, so just get up already."

I waited for a few more seconds, my patience wearing thin. This was definitely no longer funny. I gave an annoyed sigh as I lifted her chin with my left hand. "Krystal!" I said loudly, giving her a little shake.

My frustration and harshness suddenly evaporated when she still didn't move a muscle. I was positive I was being punked, I knew it for a fact, but much to my chagrin, I was concerned. I fought as hard as I could, but my heart beat out my mind and I leaned in close to her and said softly in concern, "Krystal?"

 _"Pffffffft!"_

Krystal suddenly let out the breath she had been holding right into my face. I recoiled backwards and instinctively wiped at my face with my shirt sleeve.

 _"Sorry! Sorry!"_ Krystal said as she closed her eyes and laughed, _"I didn't expect you be so close when I ran out of air."_

I brought my arm down and glared at her. "That wasn't all that funny, you know," I said as I stood up.

Krystal stopped laughing and nodded, _"Yeah. I suppose not. But I was convincing, wasn't I?"_

"Yes, you were. So please don't do that again," I said authoritatively.

Krystal looked up at me, making her red eyes a little bigger. I'd say she was doing it subconsciously, but after the stunt she just pulled, I'm not so sure. Anyway, she looked up at me and said, _"You don't have to be so worried, Jayron. Do you really think I'd go without you?"_

At first, I took this as a very morbid joke, but as I looked at my dear friend, and saw the sincerity in those beautiful red eyes, it became crystal clear that this wasn't a joke.

Smiling warmly at her, I reached over and scratched the back of her neck, and I said, "Well, I have no objections to that. Not like we could possibly live without each other, anyway."

Krystal nodded as she closed her eyes and sighed in contentment. Then I said to her with a cocky grin, "But how about we just both live forever instead?"

Krystal laughed at this, and it was infectious, of course, so I was immediately laughing along with her. She then licked her lips and said, _"Again, I'm sorry for . . . all that. And the Pokemon spit."_

"I don't mind," I said offhandedly.

 _"Reaaaally. . ."_ Krystal said.

Before I could even reflect on her tone of voice, Krystal immediately jumped up and assaulted my face with licks. Not to be outdone, I pretty much held onto her and planted an innocent kiss on her forehead. This actually surprised her enough to let me run my left hand through the soft fur that covered her head.

 _"He-hey! Leave my fur alone!"_ she said playfully.

I continued hugging her and said, "I love you, kitty!"

Krystal tilted her head at me, a warm smile gracing her face, and she replied, _"I love you too, silly!"_


	3. Family and Feast

**Family and Feast**

 _"I know it's kinda silly to be nervous, but I am,"_ Krystal said to me via telepathy as we walked down Route 1 towards Vaniville Town.

I smiled at her encouragingly and said, "I already told them all about you, Krystal. You even saw them over the video phone. They really liked you, I could tell."

My Absol friend looked down and began to drag her feet as we got closer to the blue wooden gate.

"Come on, Krystal," I said as I hung back and put my hand on her warm, furry neck, "What's wrong? My dad seemed to like you, and my mom said you were beautiful."

 _"Will that still be true when we meet in person?"_ she said.

"Krystal, look at me. _Now,_ " I said sternly.

Krystal immediately looked up and into my eyes. I gave her my kindest, truest smile, and then patted her gently on the head. Then I said confidently, "They'll see that you're a gorgeous Pokemon with a good heart. why shouldn't they? They raised me, didn't they?"

I noticed the corners of Krystal's mouth twitching.

I nodded and said, "That's right. Come on, best friend, give me the cutest smile I've ever seen, or no dinner!"

I had already told Krystal what today was a few days prior, so she got the joke and grinned at it. I love seeing her smile so much. It always just warms my very heart.

 _"Okay, Jayron. You win. I just need to forget about Cyllage City-."_

I put my right arm around her and held her tenderly, saying, "You don't need to worry about anything like that. I love you, and I know they will too."

Krystal nuzzled me and said, _"Love you too. Well. . . do your parents have Pokemon?"_

I reluctantly took my arm from around her and replied, "They did, when they were younger. But then they felt that their Pokemon wanted to live free and in the wild, and that they deserved freedom. So, they let them go, and saw them off with a smile."

Krystal shook her head, _"I couldn't imagine ever leaving you, Jayron. You're practically family."_

I was touched by that sentiment, and I said, "Aww. Krystal, I feel the same way. . . about you."

We soon arrived at the large gates to my hometown, with the rising sun sending it's light down upon us.

"Ready?"

 _"Yes."_

In we went.

* * *

 _*Knock-Knock-Knock!*_

 _"I just thought of something. Should we tell them that I can talk to you?"_

"Hmmmmm. . . Nah. I've gotta have _some_ secrets to make life interesting."

My mom answered the door, and her eyes lit up the moment she saw me. "Oh, Jayron, I've been so excited, waiting for you!"

I leaned into a loving hug from her, and of course she gave me a kiss or two on the cheek.

"It feels amazing to be home now," I said with a contented smile, then I felt some excitement myself as I gestured towards the Absol watching us with big, nervous eyes, "And here's my new friend!"

Krystal smiled nervously as my mom seemed to take her all in with her eyes, a look of wonder apparent on her smiling face.

"My goodness," she said in awe, "She's even more beautiful in person! What a gorgeous Pokemon!"

Krystal laughed out loud as a subtle blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Well, come on in, let's go," my mom said, and of course we were happy to oblige.

Krystal looked around, invested in knowing ever inch of the house. We entered the living room just as my father walked in.

"Jayron! There's my young man!" he said, and we smoothly smacked hands together in a strong handshake. I squeezed his hand hard, trying to show him my strength.

"Good to see you too, dad," I said confidently, "But don't forget Krystal."

My dad looked the now more relaxed Absol over and nodded, "Mm-hm. Well, she does look like an impressive specimen."

I nodded and said boldly, "Oh, she's way more than that! She's loyal, strong, smart, and all of that! Just watch." Then I turned to Krystal and walked over to her. I stood right in front of her and raised my left hand. "Ready, Krystal?"

Krystal tilted her head quizzically at me. _"You know, maybe we don't have to do this."_

"Come on, Krystal, don't embarrass me," I said jokingly, having a hard time to contain my laughter.

Krystal shifted her weight and gave a sigh, complete with a roll of her eyes and a disbelieving smile, showing that she was enjoying this in-spite of herself. _"So, we're really doing this. . ."_

My smile fully apparent, I wagged my fingers and said, "Up, Krystal."

Krystal sat on her haunches and lifted her forepaws into the air above her head. I held my palms out, and she brought her paws down and slapped them.

"Show us your name," I said eagerly.

Krystal took her right forepaw and grabbed the quartz crystal necklace she wore around her neck. She held it in her paw and held it out to my parents, looking at them and giving them her cute tiny smile.

"Now give me a hug!" I said as walked over to her. I got on my knees as she put her forelegs around me. I returned her hug enthusiastically as she hugged and nuzzled me.

"Awwww," my mom said as my dad just chuckled and shook his head.

I stood back up as Krystal got back on all fours. "Well, what do you think? Isn't she the greatest?" I said.

"Well, you either have trained Krystal very well, or you and her are _very_ close," my dad said.

"It's the second one!" I said with conviction and pride.

My dad came over and smiled approvingly at Krystal. "Well, I'd say you've made a very good friend. She looks pretty strong, too."

"And you've taken really good care of her," my mom added, "Her fur and claws look perfect!"

I shot Krystal a quick wink, then I said, "Well, believe it or not, Krystal was kinda worried that you may not like her. Probably because of those people in Cyllage City."

My mother shook her head, "Oh, not a chance."

A clever idea suddenly came to me. I grinned mischievously at Krystal, who gave me another quizzical look in response. Then I said, "Well, in that case, Krystal liked to be scratched right _here._ " I pointed to the tuft of fur on Krystal's head.

Krystal's eyes widened a bit in surprise. My mom was the first to start petting her, and she remarked, "Oh, what soft fur you have, Krystal."

My Absol friends smiled and gave a soft purring sound.

My dad was next to give her a good scratching, and he said, "We're the last people to judge anyone so harshly. Anyway, we already know what marvelous, selfless creatures Absols are. You're always welcome in this house and in this family."

I noticed that her eyes, those ruby rings, began to shimmer as tears of joy filled them, matching the love that was filling her heart.

* * *

The four of us did pretty much a bit of everything that day. We watched a few TV specials, played some games on the WiiU (Krystal laid on some pillows watched us, and often rolled onto her side and laughed at us), listened to our favorite radio shows, and just shared a few stories. My parents loved hearing about the adventures Krystal and I had.

Eventually, the time finally came. The moment I, and Krystal too, had been anticipating. The smells of the food cooking had filled the whole house, and our appetites had reached critical mass. The table was set, everyone was seated (Krystal sat on the floor near my chair), and we all said our prayer of thanks.

My mom sure knows how to make a traditional meal. Krystal also got a very satisfying experience too. Over her normal dish of Pokemon food was plenty of that rich delicious gravy my mom always made, along with several chunks of turkey with the skin on, of course.

 _"Oh, gosh, it's almost- it's just too much!"_ Krystal said, her voice trembling.

I looked down at her, and it was such a heartwarming sight. Krystal had gravy all over her lips, and her eyes were wide and wet with tears of bliss. Of course, Pokemon don't exactly run into cooked food in the wild.

Then came the pumpkin pie, and Krystal reacted like she did when she ate her first Pokepuff, times 10.

* * *

And so, after such a wonderful day on which this family gained another member, I settled into my own bed in my own room.

"Oh wait," my mom said, "Where is Krystal going to sleep?"

I just smiled, "No problem, whatsoever."

As if on cue, Krystal jumped up onto the foot of my bed and curled up comfortably.

My mom beamed at the sight, warmed to the heart by the scene. She chuckled and before leaving she said, "Sleep well, you two."


	4. With Catlike Tread

**With Catlike Tread**

My name is Krystal. Krystal is my name.

That's what I kept saying to Jayron at the Pokemon Center the night we became close friends, before I got my wish for the ability to communicate with him. And yet, he still understood what I was trying to say, proving that we really did belong together.

Krystal was a name I gave to myself. Many Pokemon give themselves names; although _some_ are named by their parents, but not often. I decided on "Krystal" over "Crystal" because I liked the sound of it with a harder beginning part. I know humans have an alphabet and all these rules for language, but most Pokemon only care about how words sound and what they mean.

Anyway, I had time to think about all this as Jayron and I walked through a delightfully dark forest. Jayron called it Santalune Forest. Amazing how humans feel the need to name everything.

 _"It's so peaceful. . ."_ I said softly, as I felt the soft rustling of leaves, branches, and grass by the forest Pokemon.

"Yeah," Jayron replied quietly. That was something I noticed about him. He always became very quiet whenever we entered forests, as if the intensity of nature was too much for his overt human nature, not that I'd ever hold that against him. All the same, I kinda wanted him to talk to me.

So, and idea came to me that caused me to softly smile, and I swallowed a warm chuckle that nearly slipped out.

As Jayron was looking up and around at the canopy of green tree branches, I quickly leapt into the dense forest brush to the left of the path, disappearing into the forest. I crouched down low, surrounding myself in the foliage, and wanted for a whole 2 seconds.

"Krystal!?" Jayron called out in surprise. I could see my human friend through the bushes, looking around in confusion for me.

My smile intensified, knowing that telepathy can't be used to track one's general direction like a physical voice, and I said, _"What's wrong, Jayron. Don't you like hide and seek?"_

Jayron was facing the right direction, but he clearly had no idea how near or far I was. He shook his head and smiled, almost laughing, and he called out, "Okay, Krystal. I'll play along. But how about you give me a hint?"

 _"Ha - ha - ha. Nope."_

Still crouched low, I slowly backed out of my initial hiding spot. I move slowly and gently so as to not rustle the surrounding foliage. Once I was fully out, I stalked a bit faster, moving parallel to the path through the forest. I traveled briskly over the leaf-littered forest floor, my paws not making a sound as they carried me onward.

I got out of my crouching position and peeked out through the trees, and I felt like laughing when I saw Jayron finally peering into the forest in the place I was only a few seconds ago.

 _"Jayron, you can only find an Absol when an Absol wants you to,"_ I teased as I took a step out of the woods and onto the path.

Jayron stood up straight and, still looking into the forest, completely unaware that all he had to do was _look to the right,_ he smiled and said, "Well, I found _you_ didn't I?"

I rolled my eyes and said, _"That was divine intervention. You **had** to find me to save me, and we belonged together."_

I then crouched down again, and tread lightly across the road, the soft pads of my paws making no sound as I slowly crossed the road.

 _"But right now, I'm light as a feather,"_ I said as entered the forest on the opposite side. I heard Jayron rustle through the woods behind me. I turned around and watched him stumble through the foliage, and at that moment I was thankful that I was an Absol. I also felt a pang of pity for humans. They were so oblivious, if Jayron was any indication. But to be fair, it was _my_ senses that were so sharper than their's.

 _"Total silence. . ."_ I said softly.

"And yet, you talk," Jayron commented as he backed out of the forest and brushed leaves off of his shoulders.

I gave a toothy grin as I bent back down into my sneaking position and practically slid out of the bushes and tall grass, the plant life scarcely making a sound as it brushed over my sleek fur. It pleased me to see that all my efforts to keep myself looking good did indeed serve a purpose. I focused on Jayron, who was bent over and brushing the dirt off of his pants.

I resisted the urge to chuckle mischievously as I slowly stalked towards him, getting closer and closer to proper pouncing distance.

 _"With catlike tread, upon my prey I steal. . ."_ I said sneakily.

 ** _*SNAP!*_**

My eyes surely went wide as I froze in place and immediately looked down at my left fore paw.

"You. . .you stepped on a twig!" Jayron said in the midst of laughter.

I pouted as I looked over at him. He had turned around as soon as he heard the snap, and he was now kneeling on the ground as he laughed.

"That's. . . that's just . . . so cliche, I-," Jayron closed his eyes and shook his head as he shook with laughter.

 _"Jayron. . ."_ I said pitifully, tilting my head and increasing the intensity of my pout. However, Jayron didn't seem to notice and kept on laughing. Truth be told, I found it kind of funny as well, but I wasn't gonna let Jayron know that. . .yet.

So, I changed from pouting to snarling, and then pounced at him.

The next thing I knew, Jayron and I were rolling around on the ground, with me trying to wrap my forelegs around him. We rolled and rolled as I growled and snarled like a predator for a few seconds, and then we both lay still, hugging and laughing.

 _"So much for that. . ."_ I said, warm inside from laughter.

Jayron scratched me gently on my chin, smiling as he said, "You'll always be _my_ Stealth Expert."

 _"That's all I need, best friend,"_ I practically purred.


	5. No Vision Like PokéVision

**No Vision Like** **PokéVision**

 _"And what's that place over there?"_ I asked eagerly through my telepathy.

"That's Coiffure Clips," Jayron answered, "It's a place where people get their hair styled. I've been there a couple of times."

I shook my head and said, _"You look fine just the way you are."_

Jayron seemed nonchalant about that and replied, "Oh, I know. I just go there to sort of regain control of my hair when it gets too long."

The entire day had been pretty much like this. I had never seen a large human city before, and Lumiose City was very impressive. It showed me what humans could do when they put their mind to it. The buildings were massive and tall, and there seemed to be a building for every possible need, or luxurious want. Maybe it also showed how overly complicated humans can make their lives.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed touring the city with Jayron at my side. I had plenty of questions about everything, and Jayron was glad to answer them. It helped that we both just loved the experience of being able to talk with each other.

I turned to look around again, and my eyes fell upon a large purple building and seemed to be quite a big deal. It clearly stuck out among the other buildings, and on either side of the door, there was a silhouette of a person against a purple sheet with what looked like lights and stars around it.

 _"What's **that**_ _place?"_ I asked intently, feeling extra curious about that building.

Jayron turned, and a knowing smile spread across his face. "Oh yeah, the PR Video Studio. It's a place where Trainers and their Pokemon can film their own PokéVision videos."

 _"What are_ _PokéVision videos?"_ I asked.

Jayron nodded his head and looked around. He appeared unsure of what to say. "Hmmm, how do I explain this?" he mused. He was relatively quiet for a while, making me wonder how complicated these PokéVision videos could be. Then he looked down at me and said, "They're basically pictures of a Trainer and a Pokemon that sort of. . . move by themselves. They also make sounds. It's like. . ." Jayron's voice trailed off, and I could only imagined the look of complete and utter cluelessness that I was wearing right then. But it _was_ so very confusion. A picture that moves and makes sounds. . . what would that even look like?

I hadn't been using telepathy, but Jayron seemed to answer my question by pointing and saying, "Like that!"

I followed his finger, and saw a what can be described as a large moving picture. I was amazed that I hadn't seen it early, and was equally amazed at how colorful it was and how real everyone in the picture looked. It showed a human girl in a kitchen with a Pikachu and a Fenekin, both dressed in aprons, and they were all making Pokepuffs together, at least, that's what I figured that they were doing. Why else would a Pokemon help a human in the kitchen? It then showed the girl dancing in a very large pink dress that looked ugly to me, but never-mind that. I was actually more impressed that something like that existed.

 _"Are they all that big?"_ I asked as I stared up at the video.

I heard Jayron laugh a bit, and he said, "No, they can be any size at all. The point of a PokéVision video is for a Trainer to show who they are, who their Pokemon are, and what their connection is."

I turned to look at Jayron, and he smiled thoughtfully at the video, then at the PR Video Studio. "I used to think about being in one of those. . ."

I licked my lips nervously, but then my nervousness gave way to excitement as my tail began to swing. _"Oh, really?"_ I asked, trying not to sound too eager.

Jayron nodded silently, then shrugged, "Yeah, but I guess it's kinda silly. Let's go, Krystal."

My tail fell and hung limply as my excitement fizzled. I was actually a bit surprised. This PokéVision video sounded like just the thing friends would want to do together, and it sounded like he had always wanted to try it. So why wasn't he jumping at the chance to do it now that he had me?

I suddenly felt very strange. I wasn't really sad. I actually felt disappointed in myself. Was I just not good enough for this human invention? Maybe only small, cute Pokemon like that Fenekin and Pikachu could be in them. Perhaps someone like me just didn't belong.

"Krystal? What's wrong?" Jayron asked in concern, most likely from seeing how sad I must have looked. I knew wouldn't be able to hide anything from him, just as _he_ couldn't possibly hide anything from _me._

I sighed, figuring that I might as well get right to it, and I answered, _"You. . . don't want to make a PokéVision video with me."_ It wasn't a question, just a sad statement.

I felt awful inside when I saw the look of guilt Jayron had on his face after hearing what I said. "What?! No, that's not true at all. What would make you think that?"

I looked up at him, confused over the whole situation, and said, _"Well, here we are, at the place. You said you wanted to before, but now. . ."_

My voice trailed off miserably. Why was he making me do this? If I'm not right for this, I'll accept it.

Jayron quickly came close to me and bent down so that we were both at eye level. "Krystal, I just wanted _you_ to ask _me_ first," he said.

I stared at him, unsure of what he meant.

He smiled gently and said, "Krystal, _of course_ I'd want us to make a video together. See, I thought you were going to say _'let's make one!'_ and then I'd say _'great idea'_ and, well, like that." Jayron's looked at me with sympathy in his eyes and asked, "You're my best friend in the world, Krystal. Why would you _ever_ think that _I_ didn't want you?"

When he said it like that, I did feel a bit stupid. However, I still felt that the conclusions I jumped to were valid. Still face to face with my best friend, I explained to him, _"It's not like that. It's just that, am I really good enough for something like that? The Pokemon up there are all small and cute. I really don't think I'd belong, and I figured that you felt the same."_

Jayron looked at me with love in his eyes, and in his heart. To my surprise, he lifted his hands and held my cheeks gently in his palms. "No Pokemon isn't good enough to stand beside their Trainer and show the world how great they are," he said confidently. He then gave a nervous smile and said, "And you listen to me, Krystal. You are so much _more_ than just a cute Pokemon, although you _are_ cute to me."

I smiled, and then chuckled as Jayron rubbed under my chin.

Jayron stood up straight and said without hesitation, "You're gorgeous, you're majestic, and you're amazing. Don't you ever think you aren't good enough for anything."

Then, he held out his hands to me, palms up. I knew what this meant, so I stepped towards him, sat on my haunches, and reached out with my front paws and grabbed hold of Jayron's hands. Jayron pulled me in close, and we hugged.

It felt so good; not just hugging with my best friend, but hearing him say all those nice things about me. I was never vain, and I never will be, but those moments where I thought that Jayron felt that he couldn't share something with me because of how I looked or what I was hurt me quite a bit. But now, being reminded of how highly Jayron thinks of me, and how proud he is of who I am, made me feel more confident than ever. The human world can't intimidate me anymore. With Jayron at my side, I'm ready to take it on.

We broke off from our hug, and Jayron said, "Whew! Hey, that gave me some inspiration for our video! Let's go, Krystal. It'll be amazing!"

My excitement had returned, this time twice as strong. With my tail swinging energetically, I got up and walked beside Jayron, and into the studio.

* * *

I sat beside Jayron, both of us eagerly awaiting the video to play. Things had gotten really technical, with Jayron and the other humans talking about things such as green screens and effects and other things that seemed a little too abstract to me. Eventually, after moving, posing, and looking into that camera device, we were apparently done. I'm wasn't sure how it all comes together, but I still felt excited about what I was about to see.

The screen lit up and the video began.

 _Jayron was walking through Lumiose City._

 _"Two things I've always wanted were an amazing Pokemon and a best friend."_

 _Jayron took out a Mocha Poke Puff and held it high._

 _The video switched to me running down the sidewalk, my fur flowing in a breeze._

 _Then it showed Jayron tossing the Poke Puff high._

 _I jumped up and caught it in my mouth, performing a flip as I did so._

 _I stuck a perfect landing and quickly ate up the Poke Puff._

 _Jayron walked over to me and held out his palms._

 _I smiled and sat on my haunches, reached out to hold his hands, and we pulled each other into a loving hug._

 _"Lucky for me, I got both at once."_


	6. Double Trap Trouble

**Double Trap Trouble**

I held my Dowsing Machine out in front of me, watching as the beams of light began to change color and slowly begin to cross. Krystal and I were walking through Route 20, or Winding Woods. Many people claim it to be a bewildering maze, but it was nothing Krystal and couldn't handle. Krystal's senses were keen, and I took good notes.

I smiled triumphantly as the beams of my Dowsing Machine changed to orange and crossed into an X. X marks the spot.

"My turn to dig, Krystal," I said as I bent down and pulled out my small shovel. In a few seconds, I had unearthed a perfect blue Comet Shard.

"Awesome," I said as I picked up the treasure and stored it away safely in my bag. I got up and turned to look at Krystal, only to see her hind-legs and rear sticking out of some bushes. I approached her and asked, "What's so interesting in those bushes."

 _"Take a look for yourself. It's pathetic,"_ she said to me through telepathy, and in a pleasantly amused sounding voice.

That piqued my interest. Was she talking about a Pokemon, or maybe a human? I briskly made my way to her side and pushed my way through the bush. In a smallish clearing before me was a tree stump, and atop the tree-stump was a Basic Spice Pokepuff.

 _"What simpleton set this trap up?"_ Krystal said with a shake of her head and a blasé expression on her face.

I looked at the set-up, and the surrounding area, and shrugged, "Well, it _is_ a pretty simple trap, but it'd probably catch a Pokemon who didn't know any better."

Krystal turned and gave me a rather sullen look. _"Really?"_ she asked, with a hint of resent in her voice.

I was pretty sure I knew what I was talking about here, so I explained, "Well, if the Pokemon was hungry enough, or just never knew about Pokemon Hunters, he _or she_ might think nothing of just. . . grabbing it?" My voice trailed off as Krystal stared back at me, looking unperturbed and very impatient with what I was saying. I started to wonder if I shouldn't have added the _"or she"_ part.

 _"Hmm,"_ was all she said as she stared at me, but I got a little relief from the way her mouth twitched as she repeatedly licked her lips. But then, to my shock, Krystal turned to the Pokepuff and began walking toward it.

"Wait, what? Stop!" I shouted, totally thrown for a loop by Krystal's action.

Krystal stopped a few feet from the tree stump and said without looking back at me, _"Just stay quiet, and watch."_ My ears detected the sound of a gentle laugh and she continued, _"This'll be fun!"_

I trusted the assertiveness and confidence in Krystal's voice. It was clear that she had a point to make here, so even thought my hand was more than halfway up to the Luxury Ball in the necklace hanging from round my neck, out of my respect for my Absol friend, I watched and waited in silence. However, I still planned on recalling her if she ran into trouble.

I watched as Krystal slowly circled what she must have perceived to be the radius of the obvious trap. Standing at about 6 o'clock, she stopped to bend down slightly and sniff at what appeared to be normal leaf covered ground. Then she turned around and gently tapped the ground with her blade-like tail. Once she was apparently satisfied enough, she turned around and again, and gently placed her right forepaw onto the area. After getting a feel for the ground, she then stepped lightly and quickly over to the tree stump.

I wrung my hands and bent my fingers nervously as I watched my best friend in the world approach the obvious trap. I had to force myself to not grab the Luxury Ball as Krystal placed her right forepaw on the side of the stump. I could tell she was avoiding touching the top of it, or the Pokepuff on it. She carefully felt the bark, occasionally giving it a quick sniff. She knocked on it a few times, then she carefully laid her head against it and knocked on it a few more times.

I spotted the confident smile on her face, and watched with suspense as she turned and casually strutted away from the tree stump in a straight line. Then, she turned around, narrowed her eyes at the stump, made sure of her footing, and then swung her horn horizontally, sending a strong Psycho Cut right at the stump.

What happened next dumbfounded me, and convinced me that Krystal was some kind of genius. The Psycho Cut sliced longways through the stump, and there was a loud " _sproing"_ sound as the top of the stump popped open like a jack-in-the box, catapulting the Basic Spice Pokepuff into the air.

I spotted the metallic glinting of springs and other small machine parts for a brief moment, but in the next moment, the ground all around the stump erupted in dirt, grass, and leaves. 8 sections of chain-link fencing swung up out of the ground and came together in a tight, restrictive cage in a tremendous crash. My stomach churned briefly as I pictured Krystal being snapped up by that trap.

I spotted the Pokepuff spinning through the air as it fell back down in an arc, and my eye followed it as Krystal caught it right in her mouth, much to my amazement.

Krystal brought a forepaw to her mouth and ate the Pokepuff up quickly. Then, turning to me, she gave a graceful bow. Then she was suddenly hoisted into the air without warning.

I nearly fell backwards with fright when Krystal cried out in fear as she was yanked up into the air by her right hind leg. I took a second to get my bearings on what just happened, and I soon realized that Krystal had been caught by a snare trap. I could see the thick braided rope that ran out from the tree branches above, which came to a loop which had caught her leg.

Once I had regained my nerve and composure, I was suddenly possessed by a strong urge to laugh. Instinctively, a put my left hand over my mouth.

Hanging suspended in mid air, Krystal turned her body around and looked at me from her upside-down position. _"Do something!"_ she said loudly, glowering at me with eyes still widened in surprise.

That was just too much. I could hold it back any longer. The whole situation was just too ironic. Holding my stomach with both arms, I burst out laughing.

 _"Except that! I mean - I - that's not what I meant! Jayron!"_ Krystal said, sounding the more frustrated than ever before. This was also the first time I've seen her get flustered.

This just made me laugh all the more, and I had sit down before I fell over. Although I knew that I wouldn't be laughing if roles were reversed, I was also quite sure that Krystal would be the one laughing in that case. The whole thing was just funny, I wasn't trying to be mean.

Krystal huffed and reached down to the ground with her forepaws. When stretching as far as she could, there was still a good too inches between her forepaws and the ground. As my laughing died down and I began to get a hold of myself, Krystal sighed and said to me, _"Okay, I admit it. It's funny. I figure out a huge elaborate trap, I break it, I even eat the Pokepuff it was bated with, and then I get caught by a snare trap. You can laugh at me. I'd be laughing too if, well, you know. Please get me down?"_

I took a deep breath and let it out to calm myself. As I stood up, I asked, "Can't you cut yourself down?"

Krystal huffed a second time as she looked upwards at her leg and said, _"If I used a move from this angle. . . well, I'd probably still have all my legs afterwards, but there kinda will be blood."_

I nodded, feeling a bit of anger at how horrible these traps are for any wild Pokemon who got stuck in them. "Yeah, I see what you mean," I replied.

Krystal licked her lips, then looked over at me again. _"Yeah. So. . ."_

I stood where I was, folding my arms as I said calmly, "You know, there might be a lesson to be learned from this."

 _"What?!"_ Krystal replied shrilly.

"Figuring out how to set off that trap _was_ pretty amazing. I mean it, it was genius. You're a genius," I said proudly, pointing at her cheekily, although I'm sure my sincerity shone through, "But maybe you got _a bit_ too cocky, and messed with something you should have left well enough alone just to prove a point."

 _"W-what point?"_ Krystal replied anxiously.

"Krystal, you know that I know how intelligent Pokemon are," I said kindly, "I knew that ever since I've met you. You don't have to prove yourself to me."

Krystal's eyes widened a bit, and she gave her lips a long lick.

I approached her and scratched her tuft of fur as she hung swinging back and forth slightly from her inverted position.

"But you can if you want to, cause it's always amazing," I said stated.

Krystal's smile still made me happy, even when it was upside down. We stared at each other for a moment, then Krystal motioned upwards with her forepaws and said, _"Okay. So, now?"_

I didn't exactly want to push this too far, but I felt one more thing couldn't hurt. So, as I took out my utility knife and opened it to reassure her, I said nonchalantly, "You know, it's been a while since I've seen your cute face."

Krystal blinked her eyes at me, then gave a sigh and a smile. She then tilted her head and pouted, her gorgeous ruby eyes wide and sparkling.

With a soft chuckle, and a warmed heart, I reached and stretched as high as I could. I was just able to put the knife blade to the rope looped around Krystal's leg. I carefully sawed at the rope, slowly breaking the chords, being extra careful not to hurt my friend. Eventually, with a loud snap, the rope finally broke and Krystal fell to the ground.

As Krystal quickly righted herself and stood back on all fours, I caught her in a hug and said truthfully, "You know I'd never leave you hanging, Krystal. What would I do without you?"

Krystal grinned at me and said, _"What would **I** do without **you**?"_

We shared a quick laugh, and the two off us walked over to the bushes and towards the Route.

"We better let Officer Jenny know that there's Pokemon Hunters in the area," I said seriously, then I blinked thoughtfully and said, "Hey! This could make a good story for the Lumiose Press!"

 _"You're not gonna write about what happened to me, are you?"_ Krystal said in concern as we pushed our way through the bushes.

"How about I write about your expert trap disarming technique, and leave out a certain detail or two?" I said cheekily.

 _"That's more like it,"_ Krystal replied.

"Prepare for trouble, you got that right!"

"And make it double 'cause we're here for a fight!"

Krystal and I froze when we heard the female and male voices behind us.

"To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all people in every nation!"

We quickly, yet silently, turned around and peeked in through the bushes.

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"

Out of the forest jumped a man and woman dressed in black uniforms with large red capital "R"s on them.

"Cassidy!"

"Butch!"

"We're Team Rocket, circling the Earth all day and night!"

"Surrender to us now, or you will surely loose the fight, fight, fight!"

The two people stood in a dramatic pose before the sprung trap, until the woman, Cassidy, suddenly shouted "Hey! There's nothing here!"

Buck saw it to, and stomped his foot angrily, shouted, "WHAT! Don't those Pokemon know how long I worked on that trap?!"

" _You worked?_ I did all the work you simpleton!"

"Who are you calling a simpleton you nag!"

As the two Team Rocket grunts argued, Krystal and I slowly turned to look at each other.

 _"Jayron?"_ she asked.

"Fire at will," I replied seriously.

Without a moments hesitation, Krystal jumped out of the bushed and landed right next to the two grunts. She growled fiercely, causing the grunt to recoil and scream in fear. Then she fired a powerful Dark Pulse at them, and the resulting explosion blasted them off into the air.

"This was a disaster!" Cassidy shouted.

"Of course it was! That was an Absol!" Bach shouted.

"WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" the two of them shouted as they disappeared into the distant sky in a twinkle of light.

Chuckling and shaking my head, I walked over to Krystal, who was patiently sitting down on her haunches as she waited for me, and gently scratched underneath her chin, much to her apparent delight.

"Good girl," I said.


	7. Just Follow the Light

**Just Follow the Light**

As we walked along Kalos Route 5, Krystal and I were having one of our occasional conversations. Many would consider them to be kinda trivial, but for one thing, I'm _talking with a Pokemon,_ and for another thing, she's my best friend, so there. Anyway, this time, we were talking about common myths that really got on our nerves.

 _"I find the myth that humans can get warts by touching a Croagunk really stupid. It's almost racist, when you think about it,"_ Krystal said thoughtfully.

I nodded and said, "You know what, you're absolutely right. I've always thought Pokemon myths like that were cruel. Although that myth is not near as bad as the myth that Absols cause disasters."

Krystal smiled at me and said, _"Oh, I don't mind that one."_

I stared back at her in shock, "You don't? Why not, I mean-."

 _"If it hadn't been for that myth, we might have never met,"_ Krystal said softly.

I felt my heart grow a bit warmer from that sentiment, and I reached over to pet her affectionately, much to her enjoyment.

"Right again, Krystal. . ." I said. Then I took my hand away and cleared my throat before continuing on, "Okay, so, here's one that really bugs me: that walking under a ladder is bad luck. It's just a big ball of reverse logic. It's not bad luck, it's dangerous. You're inviting something on top of it to land on your head. It's like saying jumping off a cliff is bad luck. It's just a dangerous thing to do."

Krystal turned her head to look at me and said questioningly, _"But if there's nothing on top of the ladder, then wouldn't it be okay to walk under it?"_

I thought on this for a moment. I really appreciated the way Krystal was able to get me to think more deeply about things with her questions. It's not that see was naive or overly curious, she just liked to get to the heart of things from time to time. And for a journalist like me, a partner like that is priceless.

"Still no. You might still bump into the ladder and knock it over, or the ladder might collapse and land on you. It just isn't safe," I answered.

Krystal looked satisfied with that answer, and she said, _"That's sensible. Not very aggravating thought. What is without a doubt the most aggravating myth to me is the idea that **certain**_ _Pokemon can't help but chase lights."_

Krystal's voice had a definite edge to it, showing her great dislike of what she was talking about. However, I was unsure to what she was talking about. "What do you mean by _'chasing lights'_?" I asked.

Krystal nodded her head, tossing her horn behind her. _"You know. . . those. . . you know. Like, a dot of light, or a patch, made by a beam. . . um. . ."_ Krystal wrinkled her nose as she tried to describe what aggravated her so. _"Rrr. I must be feeling like you when you were trying to explain 'videos' to me."_

I thought hard about what Krystal was describing. Before long, a memory within my mind was jarred loose. It was from a class I took in school, and a device the teacher was using.

"Do you mean a laser pointer?" I asked.

Krystal frowned and said, _"I don't know what that is."_

I explained, "Well, it has to do with what you meant. I know what you're talking about. How some Pokemon will chase around a light."

 _"Yes."_

"Yeah, the set up usually involves a laser pointer. It's a little gadget that shines a tiny dot of light wherever you point it," I said, and I could feel myself squinting out of habit just from thinking about it, "I really hate those things myself. I'm convinced that those things can blind a person if someone points the lazer in their eye, even by accident. Ugh, that's scary. I'd never even _touch_ a laser pointer because of that."

 _"If you say so. . ."_ Krystal commented, sounding as if she wanted to move on to something else. I could also see it in her gait, which had picked up quite a bit and was slightly stiffer.

I picked up my own pace to match hers and said, "I don't see why that would bother you. I'm sure Pokemon find it fun-."

 _"We_ _DON'T_ _do that,"_ she replied sternly.

I was taken off guard by the strong conviction in her voice. "Krystal, it's okay-."

 _"We DON'T."_

"It's nothing to be asha-"

 _"NO."_

"It's just something fun-"

 _"NO."_

I stared down at Krystal, who now face away from me as she walked stiffly onward. I was honestly surprised how strongly Krystal was refusing this little quirk, which I knew to be true. Not that I believed all individual Pokemon within the set of species that did it actually _are_ susceptible to it, because that would be a foolish notion. But anyway, I knew that some Pokemon just can't help following a light, but there's nothing wrong or shameful about that, especially if they have fun doing it. Perhaps Krystal held herself in too high of a regard to admit that any Pokemon would act in a way many would call _'silly.'_ But so what? Everyone looks silly at some time in their life.

However, I don't think my heart could take having Krystal be upset with me, so I changed the subject.

"Um. . . stepping on cracks! That's a _really_ stupid one. How could stepping on a crack cause someone who might be miles away to break their back?" I said.

Krystal turned to me, a curious look on her face. _"You made that up just now. That doesn't even make any sense. What connection is there? None. There is none. . ."_

* * *

Finding a convenient bench to sit on, Krystal and took the time for lunch in the warm noon Sun high in the sky. I can't over emphasis how good that warm, bright sunshine felt. As I was eating a tuna fish sandwich, I had taken out my Holo Caster and was checking up on the latest news developments, via the screen of course, among other things I often spend time reading on the internet. After a while, I suddenly noticed how quiet Krystal had become. I found this odd, because after the hiccup that was our discussion on Pokemon that play with lights, Krystal had brightened up and spoke to me with renewed interest as we discussed several more myths we both found completely ridiculous and pathetic. She seemed pretty happy, so her sudden silence was strange. At first I thought she was simply busy eating, but when I looked over at her, I saw that her food bowl was still half full, and that she was not eating, but sitting up on her haunches staring intently at something.

"Anything wrong, Krystal?" I asked.

Krystal blinked her eyes and turned rather quickly towards me. _"What? Oh, um, nothing. Just thinking about. . .um. . . more silly myths. Yes, um, never-mind, we can eat."_ Krystal then bent back down and began attacking the rest of her Pokemon food with renewed vigor that I found a bit suspicious.

I was positive that Krystal had been looking at something, but taking a glance around the area yielded nothing of interest, aside from trees, grass, and the road. There weren't even any people or Pokemon around at the time. So, I decided to just finish eating and finish reading the article on Team Plasma I had on my Holo Caster.

When I had finished doing both, I looked back down at Krystal and noticed that while her face was still in her bowl, and I could hear her slowly munching on Pokemon food, her eyes were focused directly on something in front her. Rather than say anything to her like last time, I quietly followed her gaze to find what had her so captivated. I nearly laughed out loud when I saw it. It was a small, bright spot of light on the ground. Then I looked from there to my Holo Caster, smiling and shaking my head. I moved the Holo Caster a bit, and was rewarded by seeing Krystal lift her head out of the bowl and lurch forward . However, in the very next second she caught herself and quickly sat back up on her haunches and began licking her forepaws.

"Hey, Krystal," I said, smiling as brightly as the Sun above.

 _"Yeah?"_ she replied as she cleaned off the crumbs from her face and chin.

I patted a spot the bench to my right and said, "Come on up here with me."

Krystal immediately obliged, and sat up on her haunches, taking a moment to nuzzle my right cheek.

Grinning, I leaned back in the bench, held up my Holo Caster and said, "Let's just rest here for a while. I need to check up on a few things."

I didn't bother to look back at Krystal, I simply stared past my Holo Caster, making sure the angle was just right. I spent a minute or two rereading the same article, then I changed a glance to the right. There was Krystal, her eyes focused on the ground in front of her. I tilted my Holo Caster a few times, and her eyes moved back and forth. I also noticed that her large foreclaws were starting to clench tightly and bite into the bench. Her whole body seemed so very tense.

"You really want it, don't you?" I remarked.

Krystal broke out of her trance and turned to me. _"Want what?"_ she said nervously.

"Come on, Krystal," I said in an almost pleading voice, still smiling due to my inner desire to start laughing, "Have some fun."

 _"I. . . . fun doing what?"_ Krystal asked me, the tension in her body still not going away.

"Quick, look!" I said suddenly as I pointed down at the ground with my free hand.

Out of reflex, Krystal looked down at the ground, and her eyes grew wide when her gaze fell upon the spot of light. She immediately turned back to look at me and held an obviously forced smile on her face as she said, _"There's n-nothing there."_

I knew Krystal must be very nervous by now, because she was stuttering in her _telepathy_. Trying my best to smile in a friendly and understanding manner and not a teasing manner, I continued pointing at the light reflected off my Holo Caster and said, "Come on, Krystal. You know you want it."

At that moment, Krystal's head began to turn toward the spot, as if by it's own accord. However, Krystal quickly regained conscious control and continued looking at me, her mouth no longer smiling but now hanging open slightly.

"Go on, Krystal! Have fun!" I said eagerly.

The wooden bench creaked as Krystal's foreclaws dug into it, and her teeth were clenched tightly as her breathing became very deep and audible. I could clearly see her chest rise and fall and she said to me in a stilted tone of voice, _"I. Am. Not. Having. Fun right now!"_

Loosing my patience, I replied, "Of course you're not. You're not _letting_ yourself have fun! No one can judge anyone for having different ways of having fun. Some people think solving number puzzles like Soduko is fun. I think writing about random things and playing guessing games are fun. And there are some fun Pokemon who think chasing a spot of light is fun."

 _"No. . ."_ Krystal said desperately as she swallowed a lump in her throat and began tremble.

I watched Krystal for a few seconds, amazed at how deep within denial she was. Now I knew I needed to help her. Luckily, I felt that I had the problem all figured out. I gave a sigh, and said calmly, "Krystal, are you afraid that I'd think of less of you just because lights catch your attention?"

Krystal's eyes were watering from not blinking them, and she still kept them open as she nodded to answer my question.

Leaning forward a bit, I asked, "Have I ever criticized you for licking yourself?"

Krystal finally blinked her eyes, and her telepathic voice came through with a sense of surprised realization within it, _"No. . ."_

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "It's just you, Krystal. I like you because you _are_ you. I want you to _be_ what makes you happy and _do_ what makes you happy." I pointed at the ground and said, "So don't be ashamed of it. Just be yourself and enjoy it. You've always made _me_ happy by giving input in my articles and indulging my conversations. Now let _me_ make _you_ happy. No one else is around, so now one will laugh at you, and you know I won't. So just accept yourself for who you are, because you know I already have."

Krystal licked her lips several times as she stood, virtually frozen except for her heaving chest. Then, she slowly turned her head to one side, her lip curling and her nose wrinkled as she appeared the sense the light on the ground nearby. Then, she gave a combination between and growl and purr, and then jumped at the light.

To make a long and rather pointless story short, I moved the light around, Krystal chased after it, swinging her forepaws at it, and after a minute or two of this, and I'll have you know I put an effort it making it a reasonable challenge to catch, Krystal suddenly stopped, looked at me and said, _"Eh. It's not all that great. I'm not getting much out of this."  
_

She then turned her back to the spot of light, and I chuckled and said, "This is pretty ironic, isn't it."

Krystal sniffed and said, _"I'm not sure if that's the right word."_

I got up from the bench, put away my Holo Caster, and said, "Anticlimactic?"

Krystal closed her eyes for a second, then shook her head and opened them as she said, _"Close, but not really."_

Krystal and I walked onward down Kalos Route 5, side by side as we began our newest debate.


	8. Super Effective

**Super Effective**

"Use Tickle, Cinccino!" the backpacker commanded.

The Cinccino charged at me with a confident grin, her long tendrils of fur extending out at me. I stood at the ready, keeping my center of gravity low as I waited for the very last moment.

"Dodge it, then use Dark Pulse!" Jayron called out to me.

I smiled as I laughed silently in my mind. Jayron and I both knew that he didn't have to give that command in order for me to do it, we were both in sync when it came to strategy. Nevertheless, Jayron still called out commands to keep up the persona for other humans.

Anyway, going back to the unfolding events, I sprang up high off the ground, my legs being strong and trained for high-jumps. While still in the air, I tilted my head down quick and breathed out a powerful Dark Pulse, catching the Cinccino right on her head. As I landed, the smoke cleared, and Cinccino was knocked out.

"Your Absol is _too_ powerful," the backpacker said with a frown as he recalled his Cinccino into the Pokeball. He sighed and said, "I had better hike off to find an easier opponent. Good luck finding a strong enough rival."

Jayron shook his head and said, "Well, I'm not really in search of that. I just like traveling and writing. But if Krystal wants a battle, I'd scale mountains to get her one!"

I felt a mixture of embarrassment and love at Jayron's sentiment, and I gave a chuckling grin in response to it. Then I let out a contented sigh as Jayron came over and petted me on the top of my head.

The backpacker cracked a smile and said, "If you say so. Well, good luck on your travels."

"Same to you," Jayron replied cheerfully.

As the backpacker left, Jayron held an Oran berry out to me and said, "It's lucky that you dodged that Tickle attack."

I gratefully accepted the Oran berry and chewed on it thoughtfully before asking via telepathy, _"What makes you say that?"_

Jayron shrugged, "No reason. Just. . . lucky that you dodged it, that's all."

I sat down in a sphinx position and continued, _"Oh, no you don't, Jayron. I dodged a bunch of moves, but you decided to bring up Tickle, a move that doesn't even cause damage. What made it stick out to you?"_

Jayron sighed and said, "You aren't going to let this go, aren't you?"

I blinked my eyes at him, and gave a loud laugh as I answered, _"Never!"_ I meant it to. I wasn't one to let go of things that didn't seem quite right. Add in the fact that Jayron is my best friend, and I do want to know what's up with him out of genuine concern, only increased that desire in me.

Anyway, that laugh I let out was slightly infectious, as Jayron gave a quick, soft laugh. Then he said, "Okay, fine. I just figured you might be embarrassed if you fell over and started laughing uncontrollably while Cinccino tickled you."

I gave a loud _"Hmph!"_ at this, trying to sound indignant as possible as I turned away from him. _"Really, Jayron? I thought you knew me better than that! Like I would get embarrassed about that!"_

Jayron was silent for a moment, but I knew that was because I had caught him off guard and he was thinking of what to say. I know him so well.

"Well, I figured anybody would be embarrassed. That _is_ what Tickle does right?" he asked in a unsure tone of voice.

I turned back to him and took in his nervous facial expression, his left eyebrow slightly raised as he fiddled with the cuffs of his black zipped shirt. _"Well, I doubt it could do that to me. After all. . ."_ I stood up and gave one of my rare cheeky smiles I allowed myself whenever I felt extra victorious, _"I'm not ticklish."_

I spotted the brief widening of Jayron's eyes, and the even briefer twitch in his mouth. I knew what he was thinking, and it tickled me on the inside to know how well I knew my human friend. So, I turned away from him and started walking onwards, and I could hear Jayron follow close behind me. We were both silent, and I couldn't help but wonder if Jayron knew that _I_ knew what was coming. I figured that he did know, and that he incorrectly assumed that I had resigned myself to me fate. Nevertheless, I kept walking in silence, waiting for him to make his move. And then, right when I was getting impatient, he did it.

"Ah-HA!" Jayron shouted, probably with a huge grin, as he ran forward and ran his fingers along my sides. I stood there, perfectly still and not moving a muscle, as Jayron ran his wiggling fingers along my sides. Then he moved to my legs, to my ankles, and then to my paws.

After about a minute of this, I gave a soft yawn and said, _"Are you finished?"_

Jayron sighed and took his fingers off of me. I turned around to face him as he folded his arms and said with an apologetic smile, "I probably should have taken your word for it. Sorry."

I shrugged and gave a warm smile, _"You don't have to say sorry, Jayron. After all, saying 'I'm not ticklish' is probably kinda what someone who **is** ticklish would say."_

Jayron nodded, "I guess so, I mean, _I'm_ really ticklish, but I don't suppose it matters, uh. . ."

The two of use went completely still and silent as we just stared at each other.

It had come out of Jayron in a nonchalant, casually, not really paying attention to what you were saying type manner. But still, it had come out.

I smiled with pure delight up at Jayron's nervous face.

Jayron held out his left palm at me and shook his head. "Krystal, no. No," he said firmly.

I took a few steps backwards, still smiling that smile and looking right at him.

"Don't do it, Krystal. Don't," Jayron said as he shook his head vigorously.

I bent lower to the ground.

"No, Krystal!" Jayron shouted in a panicked voice.

I stuck my rear up.

"Krystal, NO!"

I licked my lips.

"KRYSTAL!"

I pounced forward with my forepaws outstretched, and neatly tackled the shouting human to the ground. His shouts soon turned into bursts of the most intense laughter I have ever heard as I gently ran my claws along his sides, making sure to to hurt him, of course. His laughter was even more infectious than mine, and I laughed along with him as I continued my tickle assault on his sides.

After the longest minute or two of our lives so far, Jayron eventually managed to crawl away from my reach, and I was too exhausted from all the laughing to continue. I could only imagine how exhausted Jayron must be. Eventually, we both managed to catch our breath, and I looked over at Jayron and asked, _"Wasn't that fun?"_

Jayron sat up and looked at me with a mixture of disbelief and amusement. He took a breath and said, "I hate to admit, but yes, it kinda was."

I grinned in response, but Jayron became serious and said, "BUT! But, you have to promise to never do that again unless I specifically ask you to."

I tilted my head a pouted, and I said, _"But. . . you'd never ask me. . ."_

I was actually caught by surprise when Jayron came over to me and gave me a hug. "Sure I would," he said with truth in his voice as he stroked my fur, "I'm serious, that was really fun. I wouldn't mind going through that again. . . _when I'm good and ready!_ "

I just laughed. I couldn't help it. I may not be physically ticklish, but Jayron sure knows how to tickle me on the inside!

 _"Okay,"_ I said as I held out my right forepaw. Jayron took it in his hand and we shook. _"I promise,"_ I said honestly.

Jayron ran his fingers under my chin. I smiled, in spite of myself.


	9. It's Nothing, Really

**It's Nothing, Really**

I followed close behind Jayron as we quickly fled from the Beedrill horde. I was more concerned for him than myself, as most humans weren't as fast as agile Absols.

"Occupational hazard. Occupational hazard," Jayron kept repeating to himself as he ran, clenching his Dowsing Machine tightly in his left hand.

 _"This has happened to you before?"_ I asked incredulously.

"Just keep running," he said, already sounding slightly out of breath.

I could have easily left him and those Beedrill in the dust a long time ago, but I'd sooner drop dead than leave my best friend behind. I kept my stride on the short side, hanging back and close to Jayron in case I needed to spin around on my paws and fight off our pursuers. I was also listening to hear how far behind the Beedrill were. Luckily, the buzzing slowly got fainter and fainter. It seemed the Beedrill were satisfied with just scaring us away.

I looked ahead of us and said, _"We should be in the clear after that big bush up ahead."_

"Good, good, good," Jayron said as he maintained his speed. Which wasn't too bad for a human. He then put on an extra burst of speed and tore through the bush.

I decided to opt for a more acrobatic approach, and pushed off from my paws right when I was a foot away from the bush. My jump cleared the bush excellently, and I landed solidly, forepaws first, then hind paws. I also slid forward a few inches, my claws digging into the grassy ground. That's when a sharp twinge struck me, causing me to twitch and make a face. It had come from my hind right paw, so I turned my head and lifted the paw, and immediately saw what the problem was. A burr was stuck deep in the white fur, wedged tightly in between two of my toes.

"Sol… (Drat…)," I said under my breath, and I turned to look at Jayron, who was bent over double with his hands on his knees, and just beginning to catch his breath. I saw no reason to concern him with my minor inconvenience, so I quickly put my paw down, which made me wince as the spiky ball poked into me some more.

Jayron stood back up and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, we're in the clear now. Now, how about we head into the nearest town and get something good to eat," he said, looking at me with a smile.

The mention of food made me forget about the ball of annoyance in my paw, and I perked up and smiled, replying, _"Oh yes. I'm hungry!"_

Jayron nodded, and took out his map and said, "Okay, so, we need to go. . . that way. Come on."

Putting his map away, Jayron started walking, and I followed a foot or two behind him. Normally, I'd step lively right beside him, but that wasn't an option at the time. For one thing, I still had that annoying burr in my hind right paw, which slowed me down a bit. For another thing, I was trying to get rid of it as we walked, and I didn't want Jayron to notice. It wasn't a big deal, so I saw no reason to bother him with it.

So, after every three or so steps, I'd suddenly kick my right hind leg out and shake it, hoping that the burr would fall out, but my attempts were all in vain. It was wedged right between my toes, and quite frankly, it was just awful.

"I once wrote an article about Trainers who seek out hordes of wild Pokemon on purpose," Jayron said.

 _"Were they maniacs?"_ I replied mentally, although if I had to use a physical voice, it would come out in a pained snarl due to the scratches the sides of two of my toes were getting.

"The Trainer class or a type of mental illness?"

 _"I don't know,"_ I said flatly, hoping that Jayron didn't pick anything up through the tome of my response.

Luckily, Jayron just chuckled and continued, "Well, actually, some of them had Pokemon with moves that could affect a wide area at a time, and they just like being able to take down five Pokemon at once. Others do it because they have a better chance of finding a Shiny Pokemon. I think maybe wild Shinys attract crowds, like they're wild Pokemon celebrities or something."

I was only half listening to what was probably a very interesting topic. More often than not, the things Jayron writes about are very fascinating, to me at least. Also, he just loves my commentary on his work. However, right now all I could to quietly whimper a bit as I dug my right hind paw into the ground, dragging it into the dirt in an attempt to scour out the burr. All it did was make me feel even more uncomfortable, not to mention push the spiky ball into my paw even more.

I was watching Jayron carefully all the while, preparing myself for if he turned around. Of course, he eventually did, and I had a calm, neutral facial expression ready for him.

"Come on up beside me, Krystal," he said invitingly, "I like it better when I can see who I'm talking to."

I gave a smile and a nod, and proceeded to walk over to him. However, I knew that him seeing me limping would be an obvious giveaway, so I attempted to hide my minor inconvenience by lifting my legs a little bit higher as I walked, which would also ease my discomfort. However, the look of concern on my best friend's face was proof that my attempts at hiding my problem had failed.

"Why are you walking so strangely?" he asked in confusion.

I was too embarrassed to answer, so I just averted my eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked me.

 _". . . It's nothing, really,"_ I replied.

"Okay then. Tell me," he said while motioning with one hand.

 _"But it's nothing,"_ I stressed, finally looking at him.

"Then why are you afraid to tell me?" he asked gently, still looking concerned for me.

 _"It's not that I'm afraid. It's just . . . you don't have to worry about me,"_ I said, feeling more and more embarrassed about how this whole thing was turning out.

Jayron reached out pet me and said with a bit of a chuckle, "We're best friends. We're kinda supposed to worry about each other."

I thought about this, and I found that I couldn't argue with it. I also realized that I had been caught, and _I'd_ have to be a maniac to build up a lie around something so silly. So, as Jayron stroked my bang, I sighed and said, _"I have a burr stuck in my right hind paw."_

Jayron winced and gave me a sympathetic look. "Ooh, that sound uncomfortable. You think if we stopped somewhere, you could get it out?"

I frowned, thinking of how nothing I had tried so far had worked. _"I'm. . . I'm not sure. I don't-."_

"Oh, what am I saying? I'll just get it out for you," Jayron said as he laughed at himself. He then quickly walked around me and knelt down right behind me.

 _"What are you doing!?"_ I asked a bit forcefully as I turned my whole body around to face him.

"Turn back around, Krystal," Jayron said gently, "Hold still, and I'll just pull the burr out of your paw."

I felt a strange uneasiness in my stomach when I heard this, and I knew exactly why I was having it.

"Krystal?" Jayron asked, made nervous again by my suddenly heavy breathing.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and, knowing once again that I couldn't lie about this, said carefully, _"Jayron . . . please don't laugh at me."_

Jayron shook his head and said, "I won't, I won't. But please, tell me, what's the matter."

This whole thing was going on for too long in my opinion, so I quickly just spat it out telepathically, _"I don't like my paws being touched."_

". . . Oh," Jayron said simply, but then he asked, "Wait, what about that time when I tried to tickle you?"

 _"I'm really comfortable around you, and I knew you wouldn't lift them up or touch the pads of them or pull- ugh_ _, this is awkward!"_ I said as I felt my face go red from the whole situation.

"It's okay, Krystal," he said calmly, "It's okay if you feel that way about your paws, and I respect it." Then he frowned a bit and said, "But, we both want to get that burr out of there, right?"

I nodded, _"I know, but . . . I really don't think I'd be able to just stand there while you. . ."_ I hung my head in shame and continued, _"Jayron, I really do trust you, really. But, still, it's just. . . I won't be able to see what you're doing, and-"_

"Oh, that's easy to fix," Jayron said rather optimistically.

I looked up at him in confusion.

"Lie down on your back," he said.

 _"What? Why?"_

"Trust me."

So, I laid down on my back with all four legs up.

"Good," he said as he leaned over me, "Now you can see me while I take the burr out."

 _"Okay,"_ I said rather unenthusiastically as he gently held my forelegs and moved them in closer to my belly.

"Aha, there it is," Jayron said, and he let go off my forelegs and reached over towards my right hind paw.

 _"Wait!"_ I cried out, my heart pounding as that horrible anxious feeling moved through me.

Jayron sighed, but he didn't lose his kind smile. He pointed at the burr and said, "Alright. Just look right at that burr. That annoying, nasty burr that's causing you discomfort. Glare at it like you're using Mean Look."

I obeyed, focusing on the offending object lodged between my digits.

"Good," Jayron said, "Now, here comes my hand. I'm gonna grab that burr and pull it out, that's it."

I actually whined a bit as Jayron's hand got closer to my paw. _"Jayron, stop! Maybe-."_

"The Beedrill!" he suddenly shouted, wide eyed and pointing to my left.

I turned to look, but only saw nothing. Then I let out a squeal as I felt the burr being pulled right out from my paw. I crawled backwards and kicked my hind legs out in reflex.

"Got it," Jayron said, and I looked back up to see him holding the burr. He then tossed it over his left shoulder and said with a smile, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

I stared at him, breathing in and out heavily due to the burst of illogical panic my silly brain put myself through. Then I took a deep breath and replied telepathically, _"Yes and no."_

I then rolled back over and stood up on all fours, pausing a moment to enjoy the relief of not having that burr in my paw anymore, then I looked up at my human friend and said, _"Jayron?"_

"Yes?"

 _"Can we never mention this again?"_

"Sure. But you don't have to feel ashamed of it. If something makes you feel uncomfortable, then that's your right, and I'll respect it."

I finally managed a smile, _"Thank you, Jayron."_


	10. That Sounds Fun

**That Sounds Fun**

Lumiose City was always fascinating to me. Every time me and Jayron would travel there, it would still fill me with wonder and excitement. This time, we were here so Jayron could write another article for the Lumiose Press. This time it would be about a new store that had just opened.

"Aha! There's that new Pokemon Toy Shop," Jayron said with a happy grin, pointing to a colorful looking storefront.

 _"_ _Are you going to go interview the owner?"_ I asked. I found interviews both interesting and relaxing, as I would always longue nearby and listen, while also giving Jayron a hand if I could. I'd remind him of any questions he hadn't asked, and also provide a second set of ears to remember any interesting things the interviewee said.

"Not this time, actually," Jayron replied, a clever look on his face indicating that he had thought up an ingenious plan, "This time, I'm just gonna go in there, casually browse around, take a good look at the store's stock and how it's set up, and then casually start up a conversation with the owner. It'll help me get the raw, honest truth that's harder to get when people know you're a reporter who's going to put whatever you say up in lights for the whole world to see."

I nodded my head slowly as I thought through his reasoning. _"That does make a lot of sense."_

Jayron reached over and petted me as he said, "Let's hope they've got something real nice for you in there."

I frowned and rolled my eyes. _"Oh please. I'm not a kit, Jayron. Why would I want to play around with silly toys?"_

Jayron just laughed at this and said, "Oh, come on, Krystal. I'm sure something will catch your eye."

 _"_ _Heh. I don't think so. Those humans think they can treat certain Pokemon like children and throw them little trinkets to keep them occupied. I wasn't bred by a Pokemon Breeder, Jayron. I was born in the wild and survived on my own for quite a while before you found me,"_ I said with a proud smile.

"True," Jayron said, seemingly taking my word for it, "You think you're too clever for simple toys?"

 _"_ _That's one way of putting it, I guess,"_ I remarked.

"Well then, I really need to get to work, so don't look _too_ disinterested," Jayron requested.

 _"_ _I'll try,"_ I replied simply.

Jayron chuckled, and we entered the store. It was filled with shelves and large bins loaded with all manner of silly Pokemon toys. Feathers on strings attached to sticks, balls of various colors, soft toys that looked like enormous berries, even dolls that looked like various Pokemon that were made of either fabric or rubber.

"Excuse me, clerk, or are you the owner?" Jayron asked the man behind the checkout counter at the back of the store.

The man smiled enthusiastically, his smile going well with his long wavy brown hair. The large round glasses he wore completed his rather humorous appearance. "Both, I suppose!" he said excitedly, "Now, what does your gorgeous Absol want today?"

 _"_ _Nothing,"_ I said to Jayron, while I smiled a smile that the unknowing man was probably interpreting as, "I want toys!"

"Weeellll, Krystal's actually picky when it comes to stuff like this," Jayron said in a very convincing tone that was a pretty important tool for a Lumiose Press reporter like himself. "May I ask you a few questions?"

Usually I'd stick around whenever Jayron was interviewing someone, but seeing as the topic of Pokemon toys really didn't interest me, I figured I'd use my silent paws to sneak off and take my own tour of the place.

I walked by a bin of fake giant berries that were sewn and stuffed. My mind wandered as I took a good look at each one of them.

An Oran berry, a Pecha, a Bulk, a Persim, and so on and so on.

Who thought that this was a good idea for a toy? Sure, they looked good, but that's the problem. Any Pokemon would get disappointed after taking a bite and discovering it was a tasteless fake. Not to mention that certain larger Pokemon might be overcome with joy at the sight of a berry their size and try to swallow it whole. Sounds like a recipe for a very angry Druddigon!

I shook my head at the thought and then moved on to a rack of toys on sticks and strings. I honestly wasn't sure what made these things fun. I suppose the human is supposed to hold the stick and then swing and twirl it, and that's supposed to be entertaining? What's so interesting about a bunch of colorful feathers? Although a couple of the toys also had bells on them, but wouldn't that get annoying? Either that or the Pokemon would mistake it for Heal Bell and be confused on why they weren't getting healed.

I then realized that I had been browsing around for quite a while, so I quickly stalked back to my original position next to Jayron, who was wrapping up his secret interview with the store owner.

". . .and I'm so proud to say all of the products in my store are made right here in the Kalos Region," the man said. He then turned to look down at me and said, "Huh. Was she sitting there waiting for us to finish speaking the whole time?"

Jayron opened his mouth to speak, but then he paused and took a quick glance at me. "I'm . . . actually not too sure this time," he finally remarked, "She might have snuck off while we were talking. You know, _with catlike tread_ , and all that."

I just loved it whenever Jayron showed how well he knew me.

"Well, she's here now, and I've got the perfect toy for her!" the man said, and he quickly walked towards one of the bins filled with Pokemon dolls.

"I don't know, I mean, like I said-," Jayron began.

"Aha! Here it is," the man said, and he took out something that, for lack of the better word, enticed me.

It was stuffed Rattata; with its purple body cream colored belly, long whiskers, and big teeth looking just like a real one. It was even the right size. It looked so wonderful! Just looking at it made me want to poke it with my claws, pounce on it, and maybe even chew on it a little.

I licked my lips and swallowed hard, trying to look only vaguely curious. I refused to let a _toy_ of all things dominate my thoughts. I didn't need it, and I didn't want it, simple as that.

Then the man gave it a squeeze, and the toy emitted a squeak.

My eyes widened, and if I had the ears of a Buneary or Bunnelby, I'm positive that they would have shot straight up like signal flags. It looked like a Rattata! It squeaked like a Rattata! I'd even bet it _felt_ like a Rattata!

In spite of my enthusiasm, however, I quickly turned away and sniffed loudly. I couldn't show any weakness. I wasn't a child. I'm too smart for stuff like this.

"Huh. I don't think Krystal likes it," Jayron remarked.

My only response to was tap my claws against the floor as I casually glanced around the store, feeling rather tense inside.

"Really? But it's rip proof and puncture proof! Perfect for Pokemon with sharp claws!" the store owner said, sounding like he couldn't believe it, "I mean, well, I _do_ have plenty of other-."

"Actually, I'm very sorry, but I need to run an important errand, and we spent so much time talking, I lost track of time," Jayron said urgently as he checked the time on his Holo Caster, "Yeah, I can't be late for this. Maybe we'll come back another time. We'll see. Very nice to have talked with you, though."

Jayron shook hands with the man, who replied with a hint of disappointment in his voice, "Well, that's fine, I suppose. Glad to have met you. Please, tell your friends about my store."

"Sure thing! Come on, Krystal!" Jayron said as he turned to leave the store.

I followed him outside, in a slight daze as I did so. We got a few yards away from the store when Jayron stopped suddenly and said, "Oh my gosh, I left my notepad in the store! I used it two write down the store's hours. Wait here, Krystal, I'll be right back!"

I watched Jayron run back into the store, and then I moaned and covered my face with my left fore paw. What had I done?! I missed out on that wonderful squeaky Rattata because. . . what exactly? Because I was afraid of looking silly? Because I didn't want to look like a hypocrite?

Putting my paw back down, I let out a loud frustrated growl. It was like both the spot of light and the burr in my paw at the same time. I vehemently denied something about myself, and I was afraid of looking weak or helpless in front of Jayron. Was that second reason also why I had taken that risk in outwitting that trap that Buck and Cassidy had set up? This thought then brought a memory to mind. It was what Jayorn had said to me after I ended up getting caught in that snare trap due to my showing off:

 _"Krystal, you know that I know how intelligent Pokemon are. I knew that ever since I've met you. You don't have to prove yourself to me."_

I let out a long sigh. That was it, wasn't it? To me, Jayron was the perfect best friend, so I kept on trying to be his perfect Absol, even though he had already shown in many ways that he thought I was perfect just the way I was. Even if I once liked chasing spots of light around like a kitten, or didn't like anyone touching my paws, or apparently like squeaky Rattata toys.

Now feeling ashamed of myself, I decided that I didn't deserve the toy due to my foolishness and pride, so I put it from my mind and sat up straight as I waited for Jayron to come out of the store. I was just thinking that he'd been in there for a while when he walked out, smiling and holding his notepad high.

"Alright! Off we go!" he said.

I simply smiled and nodded.

* * *

We traveled down what Jayron had said was called Mélancolie Path, or Route 16, discussing his interview with the store owner and other things. I was doing my best to forget about that wonderful squeaky Rattata, and while it no longer dominated my thoughts, I just couldn't get it out of my head completely.

We traveled down the golden leaf covered path for a bit, until Jayron suggested we stop at the ruins of an old hotel.

Leaning against one of the walls of the old building, Jayron took out his notepad and said, "I'll have a couple of first drafts of my review of the shop done in a half an hour or so."

I nodded and said without any sarcasm whatsoever, _"And then you'll spend another half hour trying to pick and choose between your first drafts, merging them and picking them apart and whatever else you do when you write an article."_

Jayron shrugged and said, "That's the way I work."

 _"_ _You also don't like to sit down, either,"_ I remarked.

Jayron just grinned cleverly and said, "Everyone's a little weird in their own way!"

I silently wished I had known and accepted that fact when I saw that squeaky Rattata in the store. I squashed that thought quickly, and I said, _"Well, I can't wait to hear it."_ I then leaned in towards Jayron and added with a playful look, _"So I can give my own commentary on it."_

Jayron nodded, looking suspiciously preoccupied about something. Then he said, "Well, yes, yes. I'm looking forward to that. But you're gonna need something to do in the meantime."

I was a bit confused by his words. I never needed anything to do in particular whenever he was working. I'd usually just explore the tall grass or nearby forests, or simply take a cat nap. Before I could voice my confusion, Jayron reached into his bag and pulled out something.

It felt like my heart jumped when I saw Jayron casually pull out the toy with a soft chuckle, looking at me with love in his eyes all the while.

 _"_ _Squeaky Rattata!"_ I exclaimed both telepathically and vocally in Poke-speak, not at all caring about how my dignity was crying out in pain at such an infantile outburst. I was sure my tail was wagging at this point.

Jayron looked both relieved and elated at my response. "Great! So really _do_ know you as well as you know me!"

My eyes were darting between Jayron and the toy, so I tore my eyes away from it so I could focus on Jayron and ask, _"But how did you KNOW?!"_

Jayron laughed out loud at this, turning away as he put his free hand on his stomach. "Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, Krystal. But, really, you were so _twitchy_ the moment he showed you this Rattata. You were leaning forward and rocking a little bit, and the way you were licking your lips and tapping the floor with those claws of yours was a dead giveaway. You wanted it _so bad_! So I said I forgot my notepad so I could run in and buy it for you. You should've have seen how happy the store owner was! Apparently, he has a knack for picking out the right toy for any Pokemon."

I nodded slowly, realizing how silly it was for me to think that I could hide something so obvious from my best friend. But then I gave a sigh and said, _"I'm not sure if I deserve it. I keep trying to hide my true feelings about things like this because I'm afraid of being embarrassed or looking weak, even though I know you'd never think less of me."_

"Mmm-hmm," Jayron said as he held the squeaky Rattata by the tail, swinging it back and forth like a pendulum, "Well then, how about this: this toy can be a reminder to not be so worried about appearances and to always be yourself. That way, you can still have it. Deal?"

I gave a chuckle at Jayron's cleverness, and I said gleefully, _"YES!"_

I reached out to grab the precious treasure with my right forepaw, only for Jayron to suddenly pull it back and hold it high and out of my reach.

I pouted and said, _"Really?"_

"Oh, you _like_ the squeaky Rattata?" Jayron said teasingly as he swung the toy back and forth.

 _"_ _Yes!"_ I said eagerly.

"You _want_ the squeaky Rattata?" Jayron asked, having trouble holding back his laughter.

 _"_ _Yes! Yes, I do!"_

"It's all yours!" Jayron exclaimed as he tossed it over towards the grass nearby.

I cried out gleefully as I sprang after it. I pounced onto the Rattata, and I squealed with glee at the delightful sound it made. I finally had my paws on it, and I was sure it really _did_ feel like a real Rattata!

I stood over the toy, smiling as I tenderly ran the tip of a claw nail across its chest. "(You're all _mine_!)" I said aloud as poked it in its tummy, causing it to emit another squeak.

I gave it a good chewing, and then gave it toss ahead of me. I laughed as I followed after it, and pounced on it again.

* * *

After a while of playing, I ended up taking a nap with the squeaky Rattata next to my cheek. I was awakened by the sound of Jayron approaching. I looked up to see that he was pretty much enchanted by the sight before him.

 _"_ _Did you take a picture?"_ I asked him as I began to get up.

This question surprised him, and he answered, "No, I didn't do that."

My response to that was to lay back down, nuzzle my toy, and close my eyes as I said, _"Well then, go ahead."_

* * *

 ** _Author's Note:_** _The squeaky Rattata is based on a real plushie made by DemodexPlush on deviantart! Take a look! TinyURL:_ yadw4dhu.


End file.
